Iowa Almanac for Sunday, February 15, 2026
"The Oldest in America"
The fact that the oldest standing purpose-built mosque in America is in Iowa might seem curious to some. But it is in keeping with Iowa’s long history of welcoming those from a variety of faiths.
It was once known as The Rose of Fraternity Lodge, located on 9th Street NW in Cedar Rapids. The mosque was completed in 1934. Mosques in Chicago and New York City have been in place longer…but they were converted from existing buildings to be used as a Muslim house of worship. The Iowa structure is the oldest built for this specific purpose.
The mosque in Cedar Rapids was built by a group of immigrants and their descendants from the Ottoman Empire, in what is now Lebanon and Syria. And it served as a place of worship for Muslims for four decades. When the larger Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids was built in 1971, the building was sold and sadly, fell into disrepair.
In 1991, the Islamic Council of Iowa purchased and restored the building as a Muslim cultural center.
The Mother Mosque stands in a residential neighborhood, with houses on all sides. A small marker off First Avenue points the way to the structure, which is listed on both the Iowa State Historical Register and the National Register of Historic Places.
Construction of what is now The Mother Mosque of America Islamic Cultural and Heritage Center, the oldest mosque in America, was completed on this date in 1934.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Oldest in America"
The fact that the oldest standing purpose-built mosque in America is in Iowa might seem curious to some. But it is in keeping with Iowa’s long history of welcoming those from a variety of faiths.
It was once known as The Rose of Fraternity Lodge, located on 9th Street NW in Cedar Rapids. The mosque was completed in 1934. Mosques in Chicago and New York City have been in place longer…but they were converted from existing buildings to be used as a Muslim house of worship. The Iowa structure is the oldest built for this specific purpose.
The mosque in Cedar Rapids was built by a group of immigrants and their descendants from the Ottoman Empire, in what is now Lebanon and Syria. And it served as a place of worship for Muslims for four decades. When the larger Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids was built in 1971, the building was sold and sadly, fell into disrepair.
In 1991, the Islamic Council of Iowa purchased and restored the building as a Muslim cultural center.
The Mother Mosque stands in a residential neighborhood, with houses on all sides. A small marker off First Avenue points the way to the structure, which is listed on both the Iowa State Historical Register and the National Register of Historic Places.
Construction of what is now The Mother Mosque of America Islamic Cultural and Heritage Center, the oldest mosque in America, was completed on this date in 1934.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
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Copyright 2026 by Stein Enterprises, L.L.C.
All Rights Reserved.
No use of the material is allowed without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
Copyright 2026 by Stein Enterprises, L.L.C.
